Dalai Lama Calls On Beijing to Change

August 11, 2009

By Zhong Zhenfang
Voice of America
Aug 9, 2009

Washington D.C.--Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called on
Beijing to change its current minority policies on August 6. He
believed the uprising in Xinjiang province once again proved the
failure of Beijing's ethnic policies. And China must make changes to
win over trust of people in Tibet and Xinjiang.

After a forum promoting peace between Han Chinese and Tibetans in
Geneva, the Dalai Lama spoke at a press conference last Thursday. He
pointed out money cannot buy the trust and good impression Beijing
wants. To win over hearts of Uyghurs and Tibetans, Beijing must
reassess its current minority policies

Realistic Policies

Over the past 60 years, Beijing has adopted high-pressure policies
towards Uygurs and Tibetans. The policies have been proven to fail
after the unrests in Xinjiang and Tibet last year, and most recently
-- last month, said the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama believes Beijing clearly knows his stance on the
self-governing of Tibet, instead of independence. However, for
political purposes, Beijing still labels him as a "separatist," which
he considers baseless.

According to the Dalai Lama, intellectuals in China have began
demanding Beijing take a new stand toward Tibet, and officials
admitted privately that there is a need for a more realistic policy.

Key to Solving the Problem

Tenzin Tethong, President of the Dalai Lama Foundation, told VOA that
Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama for splitting the country to fulfill
its political needs. "His holiness is the key to solving problems in
Tibet. The official accusation is based on a strategic need," said Tethong.

"Both the authority and common people know his holiness does not seek
independence. The authority will not admit it and will continue to
stress his holiness is devoted to independence. That just makes it
easier for the authority to react."

Non-Violence Is the Way

The Dalai Lama believes Beijing's violent measures to suppress
minorities' peaceful protests force their next generation to react in
violence. He also disapproved such violent ways and said that
peaceful measures are the way to push for Tibet's autonomy.

Regarding the radical actions of the young Tibetans, Tethong believes
only traditional Tibetan culture and the peaceful spirit of Buddhism
can resolve the problem.

Tethong said, "Tibetans are traditionally peaceful and gentle. The
origin of their peacefulness is the Buddhist culture. If such culture
is lost, then there will be misbehaviors. To preserve Tibetans'
religious culture is the way to end violence."

Beijing opposes foreign political figures to have contact with the
Dalai Lama in any form. Dong Jinyi, the Chinese ambassador in
Switzerland, official media such Xinhua, People's Daily, and Global
Times use the phrase "flee visit" when mentioning Dalai's visits in Europe.